The invention relates to a confectionery shape that allows incorporation of multiple large inclusions of center-filled material, while also providing shearability and a positive masticating experience when consumed. More particularly, the present invention relates to a confectionery bar shape that includes a plurality of inclusions and a process for manufacturing the confectionery bar.
Confectionery products are available in a variety of flavors, configurations, sizes, textures, and combinations. In recent years, confectionery products having an outer layer of one flavor, color, or type in combination with an inner layer of a second flavor, color, or type of confection have gained popularity. For example, many companies market chewing gum that has been injected with a sweet liquid or a soft center portion that is heavily flavored. As one chews the gum, the flavor-rich interior is released, thereby providing a burst of flavor.
The same concept has been used successfully with various types of candies. Hard candy exteriors are provided with liquid centers, soft candy centers, or hard candy centers of a second flavor. Additionally, those same types of candy centers have been used successfully in combination with an exterior in the form of a flavored gum, a hard candy, or a soft candy, such as caramel. A wide variety of combinations of confectionery products are available that have as their basic configuration a solid exterior portion with a second portion forming a center.
When candy is to be sold commercially, the market generally cannot easily absorb the high labor costs involved in making confectionery products by hand. As a result, candy makers have attempted to develop equipment to minimize the use of hand formation techniques in manufacturing confections. The manufacturing of center-filled confectionery products in a factory, using equipment that continuously manufactures such a product, gives rise to several problems not encountered under the controlled conditions available when making candy by hand.
When manufacturing a center-filled confectionery, two separate confectioneries must be made independently of one another and then passed through a forming process whereby the product is formed into a desired shape. If the candy center to be employed is too viscous to be pumped or is a solid, it may not be injected into the center of a confectionery product. If a solid, it must, therefore, first be molded into a predetermined shape.
One type of confectionery, candy bars, often have had large center inclusions. Examples include BUTTERFINGER(copyright), a hard nutty interior with a chocolate exterior; SNICKERS(copyright), a caramel/nut interior surrounded by a chocolate exterior; REESE""S(copyright) PEANUT BUTTER CUPS, a peanut confection surrounded by a chocolate exterior; and KIT KAT(copyright), a layered pastry like confection surrounded by a chocolate exterior. These bars all have the interior portion forming most of the bar, and the chocolate exterior is just a thin outer covering. Such a confectionery provides the consumer with a sense of eating an homogeneous bar.
Other candy bars have small inclusions dispersed therein. Examples include NESTLÉ""S CRUNCH(copyright) bar, which has rice puffs dispersed in chocolate. While such dispersions add a different texture to the chocolate, the overall sensation again is of eating an homogenous bar.
What is needed in the art is a confectionery design which provides the consumer a sensation of eating two separate textures. Furthermore, it is desirable that the two textures can be sampled in more than one bite, allowing the consumers to consume one texture or the other semi-independently. What is also needed is an ergonomic-shaped bar that facilitates handling and eating, that provides a sensation of eating two different textures, and that is easy to consume. What is also needed in the art is the apparatus and process for forming such a center-filled confectionery product.
The invention includes an edible confectionery product which has at least two parts. The first part is a base unit formed of a first confectionery and having a bottom wall, and five to twelve sides when viewed from above. The bottom and sides define a cavity therein. At least some of the sides form an angle of less than 90xc2x0 with respect to the bottom wall.
The second part is a center inclusion formed of a second confectionery. The inclusion is located in the cavity and is at least partially imbedded therein. The angled walls, preferably when the sides are angled inwardly, assist in retaining the inclusion in the cavity. Advantageously, the first confectionery is different from the second confectionery so that two separate eating textures can be provided by the product.
The distance between the center of the base unit to a side is typically about 1 cm to about 3.5 cm, preferably about 1.5 to 2.5 cm, and more preferably about 1.8 cm to 2.1 cm. The base unit typically has a height of about 0.5 cm to about 2 cm, preferably about 0.8 cm to 1.4 cm, and more preferably about 1 cm to 1.3 cm. The angled base unit sides are typically angled at about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees from perpendicular to the bottom wall, preferably about 7 degrees to 11 degrees. The height of the center inclusion is typically about 0.5 cm to about 2.5 cm, preferably about 1 cm to 2 cm. The center inclusion has a diameter of at least about 1 cm, preferably at least about 1.5 cm, as seen from a top view. The top of the center inclusion is generally about 0.2 cm to about 1.5 cm, preferably 0.3 cm to 0.8 cm, and more preferably about 0.5 cm to 0.7 cm above the top of the base unit. The center inclusion is typically at least about 0.3 cm in from any side of the base unit, preferably at least about 0.4 cm, and more preferably at least about 0.5 cm.
In one embodiment, the base unit has six, eight, or ten sides, and the center inclusion has a rounded top with a radius of curvature of about 1 cm to 4 cm. Preferably, at least half of the sides are angled inwardly to assist in retaining the inclusion in the cavity, and the angles between adjacent sides are substantially equal. At least one of the first or second confectionery may include chocolate, flavored gelatin, a cookie, a layered wafer, ice cream, caramel, or a combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the first confectionery includes chocolate and the second confectionery includes a baked product.
In another embodiment, the first confectionery may include chocolate and one or more of rice puffs, cookie bits, toffee, ground nuts, fruit, or a grain-based ceral product sized at about 800 counts to 6000 counts per pound. In another embodiment, the first confectionery includes chocolate and the second confectionery includes a peanut-based, caramel-based, crunch, chewy, nutty, coconut-based, or chocolate-based confectionery, a gelatin gummie, a sugar panned sphere, a fudge, a fondant, a taffy, a nougat, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the second confectionery includes at least 50% by volume of a plurality of rice puffs, nuts, or a combination thereof.
In one embodiment, the center inclusion includes a homogeneous body with a diameter of about 1 cm to 2 cm and weighs about 20 counts to 400 counts per pound. In another embodiment, the center inclusion includes a puffed rice ball or disk with a diameter of about 1.3 cm to 2 cm. In another embodiment, the product includes two to six base units each having a center inclusion, the individual base units being connected on at least one side to another base unit, wherein the connection is shearable between base units to separate the base units for consumption. Preferably, the side that is connected to another base unit is longer than the sides immediately adjacent thereto. In one preferred embodiment, the product includes three or four base unites, and at least one center inclusion is formed of different confectionery than the other center inclusions.
The invention also includes a process of making edible confectionery products having at least two different textures. A mold with a bottom wall and a plurality of convex downward-facing cavities sized and adapted to accept center inclusions and with a five to twelve sided geometric cavity disposed above each downward-facing convex cavity is provided. At least some of the sides of the cavity form an angle of less than 90xc2x0 with respect to the bottom wall. At least a portion of a first moldable confectionery is provided in the convex cavities. A center inclusion formed of a second confectionery which is different from the first confectionery is placed into each of the convex cavities. The remainder of the first confectionery is added into the convex cavities around the center inclusion, thereby completing the walls of the base unit of the product. Finally, the product is cooled and removed from the mold. The product has angled sides made of the first confectionery which assist in retaining the center inclusion in the confectionery products.